I was having this interesting conversation with a friend of mine, when the topic of Blogging came up specially Commenting.

A couple of interesting views came up

1. I was asked how come I go and comment on a lot of blogs, even when it is seen that they probably never visit me or if they visit they don’t put a comment or even reply back to the comments I make.

Well I am sure I have replied to that umpteen times, I guess its in my habit (right or wrong) I don’t know , I always have something to say which sometimes has put me in trouble too. I also feel that since the author has taken the time to write what they have written, maybe it will be good if we also read what they have written and give our two cents worth of view.

I am sure like I feel happy to see all the comments pouring in they too would feel good.

Although I must say I try my best not to write two-word comments as I think there is this culture in blogosphere that you comment on mine only then I will comment on yours, Which I have recently understood. I am sure a lot of people have written about this phenomenon a lot many times.

So Now I think I will have to change the way I look at this place too.

2. Indiblogger and Voting :-

On Indiblogger there is a forum called indivine where We can put our latest post . The people in your group then can come and Read it, Now all this is fine but I have always had this problem with Indiblogger on the voting phenomenon.

I have been involved in a few nasty discussions too over time , But I can’t understand this VOTE thing. What is it for.

Although to vote one has to open the post, yet in my eyes if as a reader I have opened the post then I should read the post fully, Why bother voting if you don’t read the post. It takes a lot of marketing skills to get lots and lots of votes.

I have realised that most just press the button again quickly to vote, hoping others will come to vote too. I don’t particularly like that idea as again I doubt if all who are pressing the VOTE button actually Read what one has written.

In my eyes I would much prefer people to come over , at least read what one has written and yes also let me know if they have liked or disliked ,they agree with what I have written or not agree, If people don’t tell that then how is one going to learn. How can one learn that they are doing a mistake, till someone points it too.

Blogging world has become a lot like attention seeking sorts. This voting process seems more of getting a hit or traffic on your blog.

I am not the one to shy away from saying yeah I put my article up there , So people in my group know I have posted a new post. I am lucky many of the people do come and read what I have written which is a good feeling.

3. How come MEN or the male species don’t comment in that number on blogs written by other Men compared to those written by the lovely ladies.

I had not noticed this until recently, It was pointed out by this good friend. I did not know what to say . So I thought about asking everyone who visit here and read what all junk I write about, what is the reason.

I in no way am saying I don’t want the pleasure of the company of beautiful lovely people who already come , But why is it that the male version who I definitely see at almost every other blog written by ladies and whose blogs I do sometimes comment on , Not comment on this blog 🙂 .

Is it some sort of man thing , which I am not getting. Because I visit blogs irrespective if they are written by a woman or a man, would be fun to know the reply to that one . I think there is a Gender Bias in blogging too, I dont want to give examples and embarrass people but I have seen it happen.

What do you think people.. Do you feel the same way as I do, OR am I completely off my nuts as usual ?

Does it matter to you who visits your blog ?

Does it make you feel bad if people don’t read what you have written but just comment for the sake of it .. Or press the Like button.

Do you feel bad when you see people whose blog you have commented, they don’t even reply to you and WORSE still they Reply to every other comment but yours on their blog..

What do you do, Do you stop going to those blogs. ?

You can tell me that I am just being a moron 🙂

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I blog to share my story and in the process have gained a lot of insight, knowledge, friends and support from the beautiful blog world. So to be very honest, yes comments matter a lot to me but the comment scores never give me a high.

I am with you that a meaningful comment (irrespective of whether you agree or disagree) makes sense rather than just one written to mark attendance. But on few occasions we do end up saying just a word or two (that’s acceptable if done infrequently).

I don’t believe in I scratch your back and you scratch mine concept of blogging. Follow me if you like what I write or are interested in the content, but I will follow you if I like what you post irrespective of whether you follow me or not.

Bottomline is we all love a feedback on our posts and hence the comments are something every writer craves for 🙂

Exactly my sentiments, ME.
This is a very though-provoking post, Bikram.
It feels good to see the comments, even if there is only one. But it doesn’t matter if I get just one response or none. What matters is that I wrote what I felt, got it out of my system 🙂
If someone appreciates it, they will get back to me.
There are SO many blogs I feel like commenting on, but don’t have direct access to do the same. I get to read only those blogs which open in my Reader. I’m sure there are other people out there who may have similar problems or maybe they just aren’t inclined to comment. Its okay !
Personally, I’m put off by some blogs that ask me to go to their FB page and hit the like button.If I liked it that much, I would hit like even if they didn’t tell me to….but by explicitly stating it, they take away the charm of the blog content.
(or maybe….its only me who thinks this way 😐 )

“I would hit like even if they didn’t tell me to….but by explicitly stating it, they take away the charm of the blog content.” – Agree completely with you, momo
I hate going to blogs that advertise too much too – there have been some blogs that I used to go to regularly, but I have stopped because they started pestering by saying, hey check out my new post.. or FB updates or marketing gimmicks – puts me off..

ME :- I totally understand that. I started blogging too , to write my thoughts earlier i wrote all that in a diary.

I have got comments saying good post , nice post etc.. I dont publish all of them, then there are people who are already there before i have published a article pressing the like button, and I am like you cud not have read the post .. 🙂

The scratch me back is very much there, I usually go to all who comment on my blog, I feel its etiquettes to do it but then that me ..

I think you have put it brilliantly, it’s all about creativity and being original. Comments have never been the focal point of me having a blog, they are welcomed indeed but not rating the type of blogger I am, but rather to see how others feel about what I have to write.

Some of the blogs I follow have never visited me but I go there if the content is interesting. Won’t comment on every post but the ones I find interesting. Then there are others with whom you form a bond over time and just like friends I always have something to say 🙂

Regarding men phenomenon, I never noticed it but I guess I will have to keep an eye now 😀

I don’t normally comment or even read the blog in full if it is of politics or economics or similar stuff that I don’t understand. Otherwise I almost always leave my trace to let the author know I was there. Gender no bar.

Well about commenting and Indiblogger I am with you Bikram.. I read blogs which interest me and comment when a post compels me to. I don’t do it for the heck of it or just to ensure that person comes back to mine to comment.

thats how it shud be , I have asked a lot of times from everyone to tell me if i have said something wrong etc, but i think people find it a bit hard to say anything negative, maybe because it being a public place and all, But I dont mind I would love being told off, thats how one learns.. 🙂

Point 1 – I totally agree with you. I have to take a lot of efforts to try and read any post from all my wonderful fellow bloggers till the end. And like you, even I don’t believe in posting comments before reading the post. Probably that’s the reason my comments are so few 🙂 I mostly skim through the posts 😛 Kudos to you for reading thoroughly.

Point 2 – Agree here too. The whole voting thing has no value unless people genuinely read the posts.

Point 3 – Well, I think there are a lot more lady writers in the Blogger world and hence the unequal ratio of comments 🙂

About your questions, I really like if the comment relates to the post. And I don’t care much about the number of comments on a post. If I have commented on a blog post, I mostly forget I have commented until a reply shows up… 😛

I have stopped putting up links on Indivine after I realized what was going on. I reply to comments and visit blogs of people who have commented. But, I do follow certain blogs without commenting – That is because I like their writing style. I don’t think I have discriminated between blogs run by men and women.

🙂 I got lot of free time and free time is devils he he he so I think of all sorts of ideas ..
oh yes I have no qualms in saying I am greedy for comments but I would like people to be honest and write what they think of the post , thats the whole reason it has been put up in public domain.. and until someone tells me I am writing bad or rubbish how am i to change …

I did not notice this gender thingy until it was pointed out, I dont do it so i never looked at it that way.. I have seen some people who do that All the time now, like i said I will not take names as its their business nothing to do with me at all ..

Men seeking men’s blogs to comment on!! Nice post. Your points are so true. You cannot even discount it as a male thing, about being strong and silent, since they are very vocal where they want to be. 🙂 From my experience, I have found there is always going to be more people who comment for a scratch-my-back-I-scratch-yours deal than those who are truly reading and reflecting on what they read without any motive beyond having a dialog.

ok i was not supposed to share this but you are a good friend so am telling you..i have been sent to this planet to make every one crazy insane just like me so much so that each of us look like crazy looney clones of each other and hence my crazy posts..
phew its felt good to let that out

you know what i dont give commenting so much thought..i mean if i like a post i cooment and like you i more often than not have something to share..but i cant comment without reading or if there is a video and i havent watched it then i would not comment ..same as you wrote about voting…
loved your replies Bikram but i already knew you are a lovely honest soul 🙂

I was so waiting for your comment 🙂 and thank you for saying i am a good friend and for all the gyaaan .. what would i do if you stop commenting .. please please pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeee never ever do that 🙂
and I love your idea of making everyone insane and crazy yayyyyyyyyyyyy I want to be like that .. thats where the FUN is otherwise life is too hectic and busy busy busy …

Its been almost 4 years that I started blogging. 6 blogs later I am finally regular on the current wordpress one. I started blogging for myself, then as people started visiting me , somewhere there was a crazy bug for comments .. and i m glad it has subsided now 😀

I comment whatever blog I read.
Sometimes i dont have any opinion but i sure leave a comment , even if its 2 words 😉

I have never been part of any blogging forum or site sort cause I never could understand how it works. more over i am irregular with my timing. I read almost every blog weekly sort , no matter how frequent the posts come on the page.

I feel bad sometimes, but I dnt lie about it. And I guess its your honesty that keeps your blog a lovely place 🙂

lol ..I jus read blogs of my interest ..if its politics or religion ..or marketing or computers I give a damn ..jus leave quietly BUT hold on friends like you I would still read little bit on these topics still and say “nice” .. but there have been many times people don’t visit or comment I have no grudge cuz its their personal liking ,, its basically you cant force and the one who writes good has a better content will be appreciated ..
* one thing I hve noticed in blogs some people use extra ordinary vocabulary.. (even not required )
I don’t know the purpose Cuz I usually believe .. the simple it is ..has more expression it reaches more audience.
Blogging to me is jus a way of relaxation not that I want to publish my book .. or have 1000 s of followers .. my priority is different ..and my work stands first to me..
I love reading so I look for good blogs .. visit unknown people leave comments .. and try to learn from their experiences…

interesting.. is there anyone out there who write but doesn’t bother about comment? you have to be honest.. I admit that I love comments but the number had not bothered me much.. It encourages me to keep going. comment is the way of acknowledging the content written by the blogger be it positive or negative..

i will comment only if you comment.. isn’t that a childish behavior? I also accept that I am a lurker in many blogs.. Its just that I don’t feel like commenting but I definitely read them. I read all the blogs I have subscribed to in my reader..

I comment on a blog because I like their blog, not because I want to reciprocate the same. I am just so irregular to the blog, and when I see comments from the regular readers, it just gives me more motivation to write and read blogs. And to me, numbers and ranks mean nothing. But honestly, I like comments – not just praising words or 2 word comments but some meaningful comments / feedback or suggestions. And I don’t expect any return when I comment on a blog. Really? Are there people who are gender biased even in blogs? Well, I am not.

oooh I shud take that as a compliment then you commented on here 🙂 he he he he I guess we are all looking for meaningful comments and good suggestions and valid points ..

I did not see about the gender basis but have a look at other MALE blogs , you will not find that many men commented then of a ladies blog 🙂 I did not beleive it untill i physically went and snooped around .. I have seen that I comment on many male bloggers but they hardly comment on mine.. but they are very much active on female bloggers blog 🙂 now either my blog is so crap they cant be bothered or there is something else 🙂

I blog mainly for myself but will admit it’s nice to have readers commenting and sharing their views too. I do post occasionally on Indivine too but am not hung up on the voting process because like you, I understand some people probably don’t read it anyway!

Does it matter to you who visits your blog ?

To a certain extent perhaps but I reckon I’d still blog even if no one visited.

Does it make you feel bad if people don’t read what you have written but just comment for the sake of it .. Or press the Like button.

Not really feel bad but it is a tad annoying if people don’t read it and just comment for the sake of commenting. I’d rather they didn’t comment at all.

Do you feel bad when you see people whose blog you have commented, they don’t even reply to you and WORSE still they Reply to every other comment but yours on their blog.. What do you do, Do you stop going to those blogs. ?</I

Hmm…it can be frustrating sometimes if people don't reply to comments but at the same time, I've been guilty of it too when I've been really busy. I haven't had the other part happen where they reply to all but mine. I still continue to visit blogs even if they don't reply to my comments as long as I find the posts worthwhile.

I agree with you too, but I have been planning to stop visitng the blogs where they are deliberately ignoring to reply to the comment, It feels as if it does not matter , SO why should i waste my precious time 🙂

Oh I will, lets see what male bloggers got ot say about it , as you can see not many have replied to the question 🙂

Ohh you go and read , I dont , because I know if i go back and read what i have written i probably will change it all.. I just write what comes to my brain and press the publish the only thing i do is check for spelling mistakes , Which i do a lotttttttt I am sure you probably find loads of them tooo here 🙂

i have been a silent lurker on your blog.. I have not commented much here..not at all, perhaps..but since i am subscribed i get all ur posts in my inbox and read them… This post of yours forced to comment here.. I think most of the people comment on others’ blog to simply get more hits back..i’ve maintained that..it’s a psychology of the humans that makes them do that..no matter hw much they deny, i think this is the truth.. I’ve had many conversatns abt this with my frnz too… But the conclusion always remained hanging… I do not promote my blog a lot…i just write coz it makes me happy..and when i get comments, i feel happy. And the comments don’t tell me how well i’ve written..they tell me how they relate to what i wrote…so it’s good, human.. 🙂

you got a great blog, bikram..and i love reading your posts.. I may not comment enuf, but it’s fun to read you..keep writing.. 🙂

I am glad that this one forced you to comment 🙂 I totally agree with you on the only comment if i comment .. it happens so much..

and same here I keep checking if i have got a new comment 🙂 I can be greedy sometimes for sure .. but as you say its natural.. and its healthy too, as i learn what i am doing if right or wrong .. although thats another thing people dont like to give negative comments …

Thank you so much and Welcome here to this blog.. please do keep visiting.. and do comment too he he he he he he 🙂

Why does it matter to you that people should tell you if what you are doing is right or wrong?? Why do you want to conform with the people’s/readers’ senses of right r wrong? It is so subjective that 50 readers will tell u u r right and 50 more will tell u u r wrong. Silly stuff u think sometimes!!

Well its not the question of right or wrong.. ITs to learn myself If I am doing something wrong then at least I shud be told so I can put what i am writing in another way , that how one can learn and know also ..

I dont think there is anything wrong in wanting to know right or wrong.. I did not say i want to comform to others views .. but it can help me in being a good human being, thats about it .. I would still write and do what I think is right for me ..

but writing on a public place , there is a responsibility too.. many read what you write so one needs to be careful of others sentiments tooo…

Sometimes, I too end up thinking a lot about blogworld Bikram. It definitely feels great to have a medium to share your thoughts and what can be more joyful, when a couple of ppl find your blog content good and bring in their view point also.

Mostly, I write because I want to have a registry that I could look up to after 10-15 yrs and cherish those wonderful youthful years. Comments make me very happy too, they are the feedback for what is being reflected in our posts. Initially, I had time to visit a lot of blogs and find new ppl. Fortunately, almost all of them are good blog friends now. When a new person comments on my blog, I feel like I should atleast take a look at what they write. And almost all the time, I find their content great too and end up making friends with them. Over the time, I feel like only this is working with me. If I go to a blog, comment on theirs – get a reply sometimes or not even a reply sometimes, but if the person doesn’t have the courtesy of visiting mine even after my continued visit to theirs, I would probably stop visiting them – its like I’m not welcome anymore – sorry this is me and this is the etiquette that I follow!! But if the person is already my good blog friend, and that we have shared a lot of blog time together – I wouldnt mind visiting them and commenting there irrespective of whether they have time for mine or not.

And talking of men not visiting this, as much as lovely ladies… I think, I shoud keep a hawk eye from now on 😀 😀

It is a great medium, look how many people we know all over the world, and how many friends we have made .. It indeed is a great place to be on ..

I mean we have not even met each other but we sort of know each other enough that we have invited people into our homes tooo .. so its bound to be a good thing.

10-15 years ohhh you are thinking long long he he he I dont even know if i will be living by then 🙂 he he he he

I dont mind people not replying to what i say , many do that .. but i do mind and feel sad when they have replied to others who they probably know and not bothered replying to the rest .. Its like they are just ignoring .. so why bother going to their blog again …

I have started doing that tooo, I go and read them but dont comment as its no use .. I mean I am not VEHLA for this only 🙂

Bikram ji, you are awesome..not b cos you are man..okay? hahaha..just because you crack me up with your honesty. I am starting to think on each point of yours. 🙂 But you know, I think I follow many blogs written by women too.. That means am I a feminist? 😛
Even I donno the voting thing. I posted once or twice and gave up. and who wouldn’t love comments? I agree with Jas on following some blogs though they don’t follow mine. Let me give an example about traffic. One of my post was picked for the spicy saturday. I got a lot of traffic, but only one new comment I think 🙂 anyway, you are not a moron, a man with sense, more common sense 🙂

He he he.. no it does not make you feminists.. I said about men because I have had this experience I have commented and still do so on blogs written by men.. but they hardly reciprocate.. but I see them on blogs written by ladies.. that’s why I wanted to ask probably they don’t like the look on my face.. or it’s not man thing he he he..

ok, There are like so many blogs who I visit and comment, but they dont come back and read my blog or post a comment. I would not say it doesn;t bother me. What I would say is, I like what they write but maybe they dont like what I write. Fair enough. But reading is also fun, so I go and read thier post. To tell you frnakly, reading is more fun than writing for me.

I have had one weird experince so far on the blogosphere. There is is this one person, who I actually taught how to enbale the follow button on that person’s blog. Guess what, that person went to each and every blog I followed or who followed me and commented relentelssly on thier posts and asked them to follow that person. That person has sooo many more followers than I have, and now never comments on my blog anymore 🙂 Its is a challenge like fb, like collecting max number of friends or followers. Followers are motivating, but a little amount of decency as to be maintained. ofcourse the intention was all werid here!

As for me, Most times I comment when I like it, else I dont comment at all. I dont post negative comments, because honestly even I would not like seeing one on my page. I find that rude.

About the men and women thing, I really havenot come across that sort of thing yet.

I am on indiblogger but never went there much, although know I feel I should.

I can relate to all the points you have raised Bikram. Blogging is about sharing and it feels good when what is shared gets acknowledged at least by few people in the form of comments.Otherwise, we need not take it to heart if we dont get comments, we are probably maintaining a public dairy and be done:-) All said and done, it is nice to appreciate and motivate people for their efforts. I like to do that!

I have never understood Indivine though I do put up posts there. It always surprises me when a good post is not voted and a mediocre one does. And sometimes when there are votes but I know the post has not been read; it irritates me. I mean I put the post up for visibility not for votes, so then…?
Yes it is always encouraging to see comments but I like even likes 🙂 And there are posts when I don\t know what to comment so if I like it, I press like; if I don’t I just leave it.
And no you are not a moron

Exactly .. I have read some bad articles.. I mean I thought I write bad .. but there are some who write worst then me too.. even I can see that and they get hundreds of votes.. so who are these people voting.. that’s why I seldom vote and I vote when I have commented..

I did a experiment wrote a articles saying please don’t vote.. but comment if u want to vote and although many wrote a comment but A lot just pressed the button..

I like to have only genuine people on my blog, I nevr bother about nos.And myself.I read many blogs,but write comment only when I have something to say, not for the sake of commenting only.I have never bothered about gender only content be it post or comment..

I for one have always given weight age to the content,be it my blog or the blogs I visit.Then there are some bloggers like Shiplagarg,Rachana who by habit write so well that its a pleasure and a learning experience reading what they write

Oh yes chowla sir both the ladies you have mentioned are really lovely writers and I do learn from them each time I read them.
And your articles are so good too.. and the last line of how pappu is still looking for roti kapda and makaan is so truthful.. I love reading what you write sir..

And some emails you have sent to me . I have used them for my articles too a few times..

There are some bloggers I read religiously, they are extremely popular, their site stats are in the millions It stands to reason that they don’t read my blog or respond to all my comment. However, I read them and comment when the stuff they write really resonates with me. So yes, I comment on blogs even when those bloggers will never comment on mine. The whole Indiblogger thing was getting to be annoying, people voted for each other with no regard for content so I stopped putting my posts on there. As far as I am concerned, more women comment on my blogs than men, so I am not sure I believe men comment more on women’s blogs, at least that’s not what I have seen 🙂

Am I one of them he he he I want to be famous toooo 🙂 ..millions you wrote oh wow.. what do I need to do, to have a million views.. wow just the thought makes me smile.. I think they get that many hits because you visit them…

hehehehe!! No Bikram, you are not a moron!! You are right! I hate the voting system in indiblogger too! Recently, I met up with someone in indiblogger who told me that they would look at the top 20 posts or something to decide the shortlisted posts. I immediately countered that getting votes do not necessarily mean that they are the best content!!!
I usually comment when i have something sensible to say …. I usually don’t go to the post to say “Good post” ….. 🙂

There are people on Indiblogger who vote every single post of mine but I have a strong feeling that they dont take time to read even a single line from my post ! Yes, thats pretty irritating. And following sooooooo many blogs just for the sake of I scratch your back and you mine is such a difficult task and seriously I dont like that concept at all. As for comments, yes its very good to have them. I do leave two word comments sometimes esp when its poetry coz I really would not have much to add. Its only to say that I went through the post and that I liked it!

Well you are indeed right in your views. But honestly – i read a lot of blogs but do not necessarily comment everytime. And the reasons can vary – sometimes its just that i read quickly while am at work and move on, other times its because i -perhaps- don’t agree with the post and hence refrain from commenting, sometimes i am just in hurry …i read the post in reader and thats it. Few times its also because i just dont have anything to say. I so far have not gone by the rule that “if you comment on mine i will comment on yours.” (which you yourself have seen 🙂 🙂 🙂 On the other hand i do greatly appreciate bloggers who stop and leave a comment on my posts. I think there should be no rule or pressure for this – read and comment OR just read …or sometimes just comment even without reading – its all just reader’s choice and i don’t really believe anyone should feel good or bad about it.
I have been blogging for atleast 10 years now and i have had readers off and on….no long list of visitors, no never ending comments and all this has not bothered me much. I write because i feel like writing about something. Whether it interests rest of the blogworld is something i cannot rule.

And honestly i never noticed about men/women ratio. I feel it was equal.
(Sorry for such a long comment – you can imagine how much this topic has touched me) 😀 😀

Well Now that is a different thing.. My page hits say that I get on average about 150 hits a day.. Now by the number of likes or comments there are more people who have jsut come.. SEEN the post and gone .. they dont like it 🙂 he he he he

I agree to there shud be no pressure that if i have commented on urs , you shud comment on mine.. but this is what is going on in the real world.. I have many people who come and comment once , I go to their and comment and do so sometimes regularly only to find that they have stopped coming to my blog anymore .. 🙂 I dont understnad what I should take from this behaviour ..
You been blogging for 10 yearssssssss.. OH MY GOD I did not know that 🙂

and long comment noooo it was not.. you are welcome to write as long as you wanttttttttt

A healthy commenting practice is always good as it leads to a sensible debate.Then we connect with people in blogosphere through comments.

Indiblogger voting is crap because the way it is set up is weird.We click the button and then the blog page pops up and the button turns to promote this post.If the voting has to go in a correct way then,after reading the post we have to go to the indivine page and then click the button.People find this as a burden and click(or don’t click) the voting button and move to the post.

I don’t always comment on all the posts I read and I enjoy blog hopping but never seem to have enough time to read as many blogs as I would like to.

I too prefer a post to be read before comments are made – definitely!!
Indiblogger introduced this system of posts being read before they can be voted for, and it’s sad if voters are still voting without reading!! Can’t rely on those votes at all.

initial days i used fell senti about the blog thing.. used to feel bad when ppl didnt read my post or acknowledge it or reciprocate back for the comments.. but now i dont feel anything, as i have got few blog friends who would drop by and say few words on blog , what ever might be the topic.. i have my sets of blogs which read regularly and comment.. no matter whether they reciprocate or not..

🙂 I know that feeling , you know I used to pester my friends and those I knew to come and read and make sure they tell me right or wrong 🙂 soon they started hating me he he he …
Well I hope I am one of those friends or at least near the list 🙂 I enjoy reading what you write always ..

Thought provoking post!
Indiblogger voting is a big farce. I promoted my blog posts there long back and it took me some time to realize what it was all about! The votes on a blog post don’t mean a thing, as the ‘voters’ never ever read/visit your blog! I guess, now, you have to open the blog post to register your vote, so at least you get one hit, but earlier, it was just click the Vote button, so the voter could have never ever visited your blog!

S.G. it was your article on blog evolving that made me think all this too.. So thanks to you ..
I think you need to make a friend circle there and keep pressing the vote button to make sure others do it too, I dont press enough vote buttons on there .. But I go to most of the posts and read and then comment too.. which i need to decrease as I think I am wasting too much time or those who dont bother or are not interested ..

well saying that now also the only benefit is the HIT.. if its a benefit at all, I would much prefer people would come read what i wrote and give me some advice and feedback .. even if its to tell me that i am wrong ..

Bikram, I get comments mostly from women bloggers. There are just 3 or four men who comment there on a regular basis. Comments are good when you get them. But since I love for writings sake, I don’t mind. My poetry blog hardly gets comments, but I keep on writing poetry 🙂 In fact I even keep a blog that is not open to public. I love to write, Period. 🙂
Btw, yes there is a lot of ‘you scratch my back and I will scratch yours’ in blogosphere, I have noticed that. And when you have a huge friends circle it is not the content that matters but the camaraderie, So naturally you will find the number of comments are more in such blogs. But sab chalta hai.

Interesting observations, and loved reading the comments too! Commenting on blogspace and infact blogging ethics, do’s and don’ts had me perplexed too, when I got to blogging more frequently. I even did a post on it. Can’t say much about the Indiblogger and other forums, because though am registered, haven’t tried them out. Regarding comments, yes, I do appreciate genuine comments. I read a lot of blogs and comment based on my interest, the writing style, innovativeness, research, information, etc and believe comments do motivate. At least it did for me:) Here’s the link to my post http://wrenwarbles.blogspot.be/2012/06/thoughts-of-discontented-blogger.html.

I mainly blog because I enjoy it. Of course comments are great! But I can understand that people might not always comment. Especially since I don’t end up commenting on so many blogs that I read. The reasons are mainly

1. I might be reading on the phone, in which case, I am usuallu multitasking, so I plan to come back and comment and then forget 😦 Sometimes, I try to comment but I’m logged out, and by then something else would have come up and I forget – see, blame my memory 🙂

2. I might not have anything to contribute – even if it is a post I loved. Seriously – this happens with me. I guess I should put a comment – ‘Loved your post’, but sometimes when the subject matter is serious, I do not end up commenting. I try to hit like, when I can.

3. I am just out of time – I read, but have no time to comment 😦

As for returning comments on one’s own blog – I do try to do it, not
always successful these days, because I seem to get busy doing nothing.

And if you ever see me not replying to your comment. please just take me to task 🙂 As Hitchy does -because I might have just missed -complete;ly by mistake. It’s never intentional that I do not respond to anybody on my blog. More often than not, I run out of time..

At the end of the day, blogging is fun and something that I do mainly for myself, and if it starts getting serious, and commenting mandatory, the fun aspect might just go, no?

As for Indiblogger- I have never participated in the contests, so I have no clue.. And I did not really notice a gender bias – but then I am oblivious to a lot of things 🙂

YEah i agree with what you have said but then since i have been commenting on yours and we do talk , I know you are busy and if given time you would comment .. I am sure most people know most of the people who come to the blog .. .. so that should not make me Stop commenting on your blog ..

I can understand the issues that come up for sure .. but my question is not to those who visit and leave without commenting end of the day its personal choice to do or not to do .. but its all the rest that made me think that way ..

he he he Oh you dont have to worry about that I will make sure I let you know WHere is my reply he he he he 🙂 I know its not intentional.. Like i said once you are regular you know a bit about the blogger for sure ..

I use to participate but i was never good in marketing and never got as many votes as others did and I know I am not that great a writer and I can never be as good as some but some of the article that won I am sure I can write better than those 🙂 it is basically HOW many people you know ..

What a topic you’ve brought up Bikram. Understanding Indivine is beyond me but I do know lots of people ‘vote’ for your post without reading it. Of course everyone loves comments but the ones I really like are the ones that contribute to what I’ve said on the post or take the discussion further. As for the gender bias.. for a long time I used to think there just were more women bloggers out there than men.

As a habit, I reply to only those blog posts that I feel the need to – either I have something to contribute or genuinely appreciate the blogger. Usually, we tend to develop relationships where the same bloggers come back and write on your your posts. I feel this is healthy – because even though a blog is usually a personal space. Everyone who writes feels good if they are read and there is a healthy exchange of ideas…

I see #1 happening majorly with me. Initially, when I started blogging, it used to bug me, as to why the person on whose blog I am commenting does not even care to drop in back to my blog, but over the period of time I made myself understand – to each, his own 😉 🙂

True you said initially .. I still get bugged .. and it makes me angry more that anything . 🙂
I need to learn it myself and you are right to each his own..

The biggest thing that makes me mad is that people go and say or type how genuine they are , how they do this or that but if you look you can find them to be hypocrites because they write different things on different blogs.. without taking names I know of some very good bloggers who are held in very high pedestal among the blogging world .. they have written completely contradicting statements at different places 🙂

THank you so much , I have had a few very hectic days as you can see not got time to to write anything new or reply to comments ..

Well, what surprised me was, just as I finished reading this post and started writing this comment, I got one from you! 🙂 What a lovely co-incidence.

I agree to all of your points there. Except I don’t know if male bloggers don’t read/comment on other male bloggers posts. No experience on that, so can’t comment.

1- I never comment unless I read the post, and I expect not doing that on my blog either. It shows that the person is insensitive towards what other people write, and he/she is just there to get traffic back on his/her blog. Even if someone comments just to get traffic, I think reading and commenting won’t hurt.

2- I really don’t understand the concept of votes. It is only about networking and nothing else at all. I have seen posts with hundreds of votes, which I couldn’t read beyond a few lines because of grammatical errors.

Recently discovered your blog…I like being here. So, will be back for more 🙂 I comment if I have something to say, I might read silently If I don’t have anything to share.

Thank you so much for agreeing .. Well I did not think that way but now i know.. I visit a log of blogs written by men, and as usual I comment too .. I see the same people on other FEMALE writer blogs I visit .. but never seen them visit me ( I know I am not that great that they have to , and its fine) but I have also not got a reply to my comments , when they have replied to everyone else on the post .. again Once or twice i can understand NOT everytime .. 🙂 now that sure make one raise their eyebrows.. So now I have stopped reading them ..

Thank you so much for saying that and good to see you here too 🙂 and no no no dont worry about commenting or not he he he he

Hi Bikram,
Your posts are always good, and genuine comments would keep coming your way.
I also noticed sometimes that people become so tied up in receiving comments in their blogs and get equally obsessed in giving replies to them, that, they end up living in their own world of getting as many comments in their blogs, though they will keep saying that they write not for comments but only for themselves.
I usually don’t reply to comments, because, people come and comment, and just move off, very few would come back to read the reply. Yes if it is important, that their comments need reply, then i definitely write one, these days I have started to acknowledge with a “Thanks “.
One must understand that just because a person doesn’t reply to all the comments, doesn’t mean that person does not care,it is not true.
Blogging has opened up a space for people to write what they feel from their heart, if someone likes it , they will have a regular follower, if not nothing is lost , for we basically write for ourselves only.
Even I don’t like this voting business, for it all finally means the more people who can influence to vote for you, the more chance you have of winning whatever it is, for it is not based on what is really good. And I also hate asking people to vote, I have had the experience of doing so, and i hate myself for doing so, falling into the mob mentality trap.
It is always good to have genuine friends like you in the blog world.

Thank you so much.. glad you think that way ..
Well I will never say that I have always mentioned that I am greedy :). but I would also like to get the truth if i write bad then someone shud say so I can improve .. the good one .. nice post is quite common ..

I can understand if you dont reply to all, But pick and choose is not right that is rude.. and especially if you dont reply to one particular blogger ALWAYS ..

After two years of blogging one gets a sense regarding who is reading the entire post. Unconciously I have stopped visiting the blogs of those who comment for the sake of back scratching. Many a times i read but do not comment for the lack of time. Some posts click well with women while some topics resonate more with men. I do post on indivine but fail to understand the relevance of voting.

I’d agree with most of what you’ve written… the indi voting system needs a change, women bloggers get more visitors and comments, male bloggers starve for comments…
Hope to read your comments on my posts now…
🙂

I understand that people are busy, I would prefer that they read it later, than just write “Nice, Good” and all that. And I visit new blogs and leave a comment there, but even after about a dozen attempts the blogger doesnt not respond, my interests reduces gradually. Though I make it my priority to comment on the blogs of those who regularly visit my blog and leave comments, I take time to read and comment on the not so frequent and other random bloggers too.

EXACTLY… or nothing at all would be fine for me .. I have felt myself that some of the articles that I have written which I Feel are good , dont get as many hits as some of the funny ones that probably dont mean anything 🙂

I agree with you on the voting part. I have realized that people vote just to oblige. I vote only after I have read a post —and you’ve to trust me, Bikram!!!!!!!!!! But, I love when people make an effort to come to my space and comment….(even half-hearted comments carry same potency..LOL)..
I am grateful to each one of them…and that includes you:))

What do you think people.. Do you feel the same way as I do, OR am I completely off my nuts as usual ?
You are not nuts; you speak from your heart :).

Does it matter to you who visits your blog ?
Yes! I look forward to comments from friends but I understand if they are unable to visit. I don’t mope over it.

Does it make you feel bad if people don’t read what you have written but just comment for the sake of it .. Or press the Like button.
Yep, that used to bother me a lot. And, it is easy to make that out as well :). These days, I just ignore it.

Do you feel bad when you see people whose blog you have commented, they don’t even reply to you and WORSE still they Reply to every other comment but yours on their blog..
Yeah, that hurts.

What do you do, Do you stop going to those blogs. ?
If it happens often, I stop visiting.

Indivine votes and even contests are a farce. I put up my posts so people in my network know I’ve put up a new post. That said, I’ve read some really good blogs via Indivine. Everything has its pros and cons. I don’t know about the male female thing. That has never mattered to me.

Hi Bik! Back here after a long time … sorry, hv been really busy 🙂 But ya, I read this post 🙂 I read blogs that I luv to read and leave comments on most of them. There are a few where I only lurk around. You know what hurts me the most though? when people tell me they have had no time at all to visit blogs, but I see them everywhere else but on mine. I mean, it is okay if they did not feel like reading what I write. Why lie esp. when I can see their comments everywhere else!?! This is one thing I try to avoid. I have some time to read today and so will cover all the blogs which have a post in the last 1-2 days atleast 😐

Oh yes you have brought another point I forgot about it . True some do that. I was busy sorry could not visit you.. and then you see them every other place , I take that as a hint they don’t like my blog so I stop bothering about them… their loss..

You have time and you reading blogs.. I would go out and eat.. by the way I saw ur pic eating out .. he he he he

No, I don’t think you are being a moron. You just enjoy reading certain blogs, and read them regularly and comment on their posts if you like them. That’s the way it should be. I do not support the theory that ‘you should read and comment on blogs only if their authors read and comment on your blog’. That’s marketing, not blogging. The whole purpose of blogging is lost in that case.

I read very few blogs regularly (because I am always struggling with time and juggling multiple things at the same time). I do try and read the blogs of my regular commentors off and on, even if I might not have the time to comment. This seems to be working so far for all of us.

I vouch for meaningful comments, too. A well-thought out and meaningful comment is always better than saying two words just for the sake of it. That is why I don’t comment on blogs if I do not have the time, rather than just commenting for the sake of it.

I think you read blogs because you like the content, the people behind the blogs, the way they think and write, the issues they write about. It does not matter whether the other person is a male or a female. If you are sensitive to certain things and you find women writing more about such things, you will obviously visit their blogs more. It’s natural. Nothing wrong in that.

Thank you for saying that phewwwwwwwwwww 🙂 and marketting as you put is quiet prevalent , maybe you get emails too, I get so many asking to visit them, or mentioning them in my article, as they are newly starting .. and so on ..

I dont mind people not commenting , but when they do I hope they comment genuinly and after reading thats all I said.. I too visit a lot of blogs and not comment all the time .. But if i go I do make sure i read what someone has written ..

and NO it is not not jsut two cents its many a million cents 🙂

i did not mean it in a wrong way about male-female bloggers , It has never been on my mind when i ma reading or commenting .. what I meant was that Male readers comment on a women blog.. but the same probably wont comment on a male blogger..

“What do you think people.. Do you feel the same way as I do, OR am I completely off my nuts as usual ?”
Okay here goes – purely for sadistic pleasures, I want to say that yes you are completely off your nuts as usual. And additionally, yes you are just being a moron.

Phewww… ahh was that liberating!! (Well, you give me a choice, I shall exercise it.)
Okay..

Now, comments, likes, popularity, is all the maya of blogosphere. But end of day, you know who your loyal and genuine readers are.

i agree with you .. even i never understood the concept of how indivine works on indiblogger but i do feel good when i get more number of votes 😛

i subscribe to all the blogs i generally come across.. so that i do not miss out any updates and later comment on them irrespective of the fact whether they come back on my blog or not .. no quid-pro-quo here ..

OMG OMG Bikram 😀 what a discussion 😀 recently one of my friend who is on blog asked me 😀 do I bribe that I get comments and not him 😀 now tell me what should I answer 😀
🙂 Yeah I to read almost all the bloggers who interact with me and few new ones whom I land via hopping 😀 also every blog I read I comment 😀 and all these are done in 5 days of week those blogs which doesnt allow me to comment from 😉 office will not get comments but definitely 😀 I would have read it 😀 So such technical problems will also be there 😀 one such blog 😀 is urs 😦 I cant comment on it from any account so plssssssssss change the settings to allow me to comment on yours! 😀

And about your 3rd confusion 😀 is it :)? even I dint know 😀
Fun tastic discussion 😉

Before i give my views, let me tell you that this one post many bloggers will empathize with. Good one.

My blog was started with the intent of recording information for my children. So that when they grow up and leave the nest, it may serve as an emotional string to them to hold on to some memories and slowly i started drifting into travelougues and other mundane things that affected me. My google states that i get 250 hits per day but i get very few comments. some time none at all

Sometimes i wish people commented, at times i feel it is okay. I have mixed views about this.

About reciprocating comments. i definitely reciprocate but don’t stay on if the posts don’t relate to me.But if i like somebody’s blog i definitely will stick on irrespective of whether they leave the comment or not.

I promote my blogposts on twitter only if i feel the message should reach more people., else not even my neighbour with whom i talk dalily knows about my blog.

And bikram at your space, when i can relate to the post, i defintely do leave a comment.

wow so many hits a day .. thats great , tell me the secret 🙂 I dont get that many ..

I dont have qualms if people comment or not .. but I do feel that If you comment then read the whole article and then comment , not jsut the few starting lines and then the last few lines and make your mind ..

When you talk of men stalking women’s blogs, have you noticed most of the comments made on your blog are by women. I find that every other blog site has issues which you wrote about. Let’s not isolate Indiblogger here, which you can see people cribbing about. Those who seriously write do not care about who likes it or not. My blogs do not get much likes since I write on spiritual topics. People are scared to comment too. I just put a like only if I truly like that blog. I am not used to writing comments since I am not that tech savvy when it comes to filling forms. But I love reading your blogs and I guess this is the first time I have commented in more than a few words.
God bless you and keep on writing.

I did not mean stalking etc, I guess I did not write well or could get the information out there what I mean is that if you visit blog writtne by a lady.. you will find a lot of MALE commentators .. now pick on random some of those male bloggers , you wont find them commenting on Male bloggers..

I dont want ot take names , I follow a lot of blogs written by MEN and I comment or give my worthless idea’s , now the same bloggers can be seen writing everywhere , but not on mine or other male bloggers .. Thats what I am talking about ..

you are right spiritual articles are dicey, I am sure i still comment because i have my own views on religion and spirituality…

I totally am with you Bikram on those thoughts. While it does make you smile more when you see that comment indicator in orange, ultimately you want to use teh blog for the concept it was conceived – sharign thoughts, ideas and li’l things. while I look forward to the discussion and thought processes, I would like it if they go beyond pleasantries.
Loved knowing this side to you! Oh, and I haven’t noticed gender bias so far. Maybe I am too new! 🙂

I am sure you are a kind and easy-going soul Bikram and it reflects in your posts. We have been through that Indivine mess before and we are sure it stinks. It is a SCAM to say the least. Many photographs — out-of-focus, with screwed exposures and tilts — that should be erased in the camera itself are actually find their way to the top as blog posts. The same is true about writing too.

About the men scrambling for girls and women bloggers: Maybe Freud pinned it down correctly. And also, there are more female bloggers than male — No, I am not going to offer a conjecture as to why.

About commenting on Individual blogs: Sometimes I read and realise that my contribution would be too small a thing in the combined clamour and I just leave. Please note that it is a lot different from inherently negative people who openly tom-tom about ‘sunshine’ but are blacker than the pot deep down.

Uma sir I rememeber the indivine mess, I was sort of in the heart of it , I guess i speak too much need to tone down and mind my own business 🙂

and you are right on the out of focus pics etc etc, I guess its how many you know and who you know that matters end of the day 🙂

Well I would beg to differ here sir , at least on my blog I would request you to do write what you have to say , because I am learning and I want to know more .. they do say , you learn something new each day .. So please dont just leave ..

Bikram,
People visit your blog not only because you visit and make comments . You spread and share love thru’ your blogs, comments. There is no need to agree on all views one has..Everyone has there own opinion. But in blogging world many comment for the sake of return comments and to increase the traffic to their blog. . many come and say .visit my blog too:) it is very clear that they are looking for comments. As a courtesy I do visit them..Once they start getting regular comments they stop the visits. I do not understand why people behave like that. Another thing have noticed..favour for favour.- If you don’t comment I will stop my visit too.

I do not make any comment on a blog unless I read them..If it is a long absence at least I visit them to say hello..I do have some good friends on my list..I know they would be come back and support when I am active in blogosphere.

That is what I mean , I get emails etc and sometimes I have recommended blogs to help, especially the ones who have just started , but then they stop coming to mine.. as tey have not their own set of followers ..

You have shared the issue wholeheartedly. Glad I am still visiting blogs which don’t come to visit me back simply because I love the content. However, I am the kind that always return a visit as a way to show that I appreciate him/her for reading what I have written…but I won’t just leave a comment without reading it first.

Hi Bikram
Whether its blogging, Facebook, telephone calls or any other kind of contact and share system , its mostly give and take. But not everyone is same. Authors write books coz they love to write but they want people to read their books and want feedback too. I guess we should keep on doing what we love to do irrespective of whether we get appreciated or not like I do with my photography. BTW I never ce to know if you watch them or not. Lol
:U
we do things coz of our own happiness.

About followers and commenting, remember I told you , that more women comment on your blog. So hey guys be modest and comment too. 😉
Bikram is genuinely a good writer.

Well thats what i mean it SHUD not be give and take.. I comment on other blogs if i read a blog.. and FB I am not that regular on it , as you have seen, the only time I go to FB is when i have a new article, I am not a fan of FB , I hate it rather .. I find it waste of time

I agree with all the points you mentioned and especially about the Indiblogger!

It matters a lot to know who visit and read . It feels bad when ppl just hit Like button without reading or simply makes one two word comment just as a formality. Hmm, you mentioned a clear picture of today’s blogging world!

You are 100% right. However I am not regular in visiting others. I have been moving from place to place during the last 4 months and It was not always possible to be unkind to someone else by using their net access/desktop. I do not own a laptop as such. I manage writing/postings by carrying things in a pendrive.

A good post and as usual some interesting questions asked and raised. In my view, I find that female bloggers spend more time blogging than male bloggers, that isn’t in anyway the case for everyone but I’m generalising here. I find that I visit probably 60% female blogs and 40% male blogs and I find that (other than You Bikram) women tend to post allot more and more frequently, and they have challenging things to write about and say.

How come MEN or the male species don’t comment in that number on blogs written by other Men compared to those written by the lovely ladies….very intersting question biks..lots of questions here in fact and pertinent..

I agree with you on the male / female aspect as this has happened to me too, but these days I have a varied mix and I like to think that anyone I have on my blogroll can visit whenever they choose, though sometimes someone asks to view my Private Space and then I never see them again, so I have only one conclusion for that and it is more than likely that they don’t like what they see when they call in on the first time. I have even had e mails telling me that I shouldn’t be adding horror or semi nudity as that isn’t what peeps want to see. Yes nuts that, as it says on my Gravatar profile what my Space is all about, well not about the naked aspecdt but that is all in good taste i think, and not pornographic in any way…

hey sorry for wittering on and not addressing what you were talking about Bikram. I do understand what you mean though and I don’t see why a guy cannot add comments on another guys postings, after all I have a lot of guys and a lot of females calling into my Space and it’s all good, I always reply to everyone that offers me a comment or observation and I always try and keep up with everyone on their own Spaces (Impossible 😦 )

Okay so I am usually late to your postings too, as I am with so many of my great friends but I know that there is no hard feelings as we are all in the same boat when it comes down to visiting and commenting, but I do think that some peeps need to make more of an effort and that is for sure.

Andro I think I have reached a stage where it doesnot bother me much if someone is not visiting because , I feel that I write what I like.. and I visit the blogs that i like and comment what I like or think.. and to be honest there are a lot of people out there who like to butter up everything , I dont 🙂

I joined the blogging community 3.5 months back, just to have ‘a taste’ of it. Now I want to move to other exciting things ( I might come back to write but I am not sure ). So my feedback is :

1. You sir, are a genuine reader and there are very very few readers like you

2. Yes there is a gender-bias. In this females are more guilty than males. Some young ladies make a loud sound ( write a post ) like a sparrow and look right and left for a male sparrow. Again make a sound.

3. I could not understand the utility of these awards. Maybe 3.5 months was a very short period to judge the utility of these awards.

It does not matter where you comment as long as the content in the blog is interesting and worth reading (and commenting)
Yes that is a fact that I too noticed (ladies commenting on my blog) I too can’t explain why, but then there are few like Bikramjit to break the monotony 🙂

Wow! look at the comments you have received.
It does matter to me that people visit and comment my blog.
There are a few regulars and I do look forward to what they have got to say.
Being a home maker, leaves me a little time to blog and comment.
I am guilty that I am not able to visit all and comment….
But, I try.

Bikram, I got tired scrolling down! That shows how awesome this post is!. Agree on many points.
About the last question, yes I felt bad when one blogger , refused to post my comment, and refused to answer why. I stopped reading his blog.

🙂 oooops
Good you did that, I dont know why people want to post on a public place adn then not post a comment .. they should stop blogging if they dont like what others might have to say on the article ..

Commenting is no doubt an important part of Blogging. As a budding blogger i commented extensively and it gave desired results. But it can be very time consuming as well.

Today having been through the Blogging circuit i now blog for the relevance and joy joy Blogging. But i have to confess i wouldn’t have reached where i have had it not been through the process of Blogging.

Many times commenting is more about ‘ u scratch my back i scratch urs’…..or friendship or popularity.

But for any budding blogger you simply have to work your way through this networking process.

had it not been fore my extensive commenting in earlier days i wouldn’t have been here,

So if you are aiming to be a blogger do comment extensively.

Later on, through meets and other interactions with bloggers, your blogger friends know that even if there are no comments on a regular basis your are still CONNECTED 🙂

A sty age comes when you have managed to carve a niche and u Blog for the sheer joy of Blogging.

But yes, commenting was a good part of Blogosphere, else we would be all little islands of Blogs

I can understand when starting a blog, one has to go through the grind if it can be called that,

you are right it is scratch each other still, and many still do it which is becoming a pain because of the number of emails i recieve it makes me mad, and to get votes , I remember doing a post also on that.

do comment extensively is right, but then those who make you popular by visitng you , one should not stop visiting them , we should make sure not to let those down who have helped us to achieve what we have now ..

Seeing anyone comment on a post that I have written makes me happy, but then I do not believe in commenting just for the sake of it. You may not have anything to say on some posts and I feel it is better to leave it at that.
As for commenting only when others reciprocate, I don’t believe in that either. There is a group of blogs that I follow and irrespective of whether they read my posts, I do give a piece of mind, whenever I feel the need to give it away 😉
Ultimately, it is what your expectation is all about – why do you blog and why do you read other blogs. The answer to that is the key

you know what, I had been having a conversation with a friend yesterday when topic of blogging came up. I told him that I have made a come back and from my stats I know that a lot of people are still reading my posts but only few loyal ones are commenting and I mentioned about you being one of those loyal readers. Due to my busy life, I am unable to devote much time to blogging these days and therefore i end up just writing a post. I dont read other blogs like how I used to in the past. That has had an effect on comments on my blog. I do miss the interaction that I used to have with my readers but the lack of it will not deter me from writing because I love to write and when I find time, I will continue to write.

I totally agree with you about the mutual understanding of ‘you comment on my blog and I will comment on yours’ going on in the blogosphere.But mate, you dont come under that category and that is commendable.

Today, I WANTED to read your recent posts and thus visited this page.

You are one genuine person and I say this not because you comment on my post :-)..because I genuinely mean it.

Well it is nice to know people read your posts so the comments come up. But it is indeed a little disappointing to see people commenting just for the sake of leaving their addresses. I wish even if they did, they did it with class…Like actually reading your post and inviting someone to read yours!

I really commend your habit of commenting on blogs even when they don’t respond to you. That shows your true love for writing as well as reading other people’s works. I also don’t agree with “I comment in yours.. you comment in mine”, though I would totally understand why people follow that. As for me, I still have a fairly small group of good friends who read my blog and I love reading their blogs and do so regularly. Sometimes I am pressed for time and may not read all their posts but I tend to read them over a period of time. I also have a few bloggers whose works I read and who do not visit my blog much. But it hasn’t affected me so far as I love their writing and so continue to read them.

Oh yeah.. the MEN phenomenon is quite well known. Though I have not personally observed it very keenly, I guess it is prevalent. Women are more logical and unbiased in reading other people’s blogs.

A very interesting post with good and intriguing thoughts and perspectives.

The way you read and comment on such a large number of blogs (even if it is not always reciprocated) has often amazed me. Comments certainly encourage us – after all we publish it for others to read. I try to read most of the blogs I know and I keep on discovering new blogs. Sometimes we may not have anything to say, then it is better to press the like button to inform them we were there. But I never do that without reading it seriously.

LOLs….i had similar views on that. See i saved all the posts in my reader to read after my exams are over.I blog just to write.Earlier i crammed for readers but later realized you have to go on.Just Keep Calm & Move On is the moto.
And i do read the full posts even if i have to read it twice to complete it.And i don’t think, gender does mater, though i have als observed most bloggers are female.

Great post Bikram!
You have touched many issues… thought provoking ones.

One: the indiblogger voting system… voters just vote and go, very few pause to read and comment… it increases page views thats all.

Comments – I don’t see any partiality factor. Some blog at a faster rate, some slow. They will post one blog and then comment 100 other blogs, get 100 comments in return and then post the next post. Those who make more posts get lesser comments. But comments are life of bloggers and their blogposts.

There could be several reasons for not commenting, though not a healthy thing I would rather not hold it against anybody for not commenting. 🙂
Thanks for the regular visits to my blog and for your precious comments, Bikram. Truly appreciate that.
I hope to be more regular here.

A very thought provoking post, Bikram and as usual, straight from the heart. As a blogger and a blog reader, and also someone with a full-time day job I struggle to keep up with the writing, reading, commenting and replying to the comments. I read as many blogs as I can, but comment only if I have something to contribute to an ongoing discussion or have something additional to add. I do not comment for the sake of being contrary, controversial or to run down someone’s work by displaying expert knowledge.

Indivine has been a mixed bag. When I joined a little over a year back, it was a blessing as it gave much needed visibility to my blog. But know, I’m not so sure as I am uncomfortable with the unwritten, you vote for me I vote you you thingy.

As for people visiting my blog, sure I’d like lots of people to read the blog and leave comments, but I’d rather that they contribute a meaningful one than none at all.

Glad you think that way mam, and glad to see you 🙂
and yes I know, I do the same tooo , although i would like everyone to write negative too if I am wrong that way I increase my knowledge tooo
and the voting thing is like that for sure ..

Shamelessly, I have to agree that, yes, we have got this tendency to give back what u get… So much used to Take and Give, rather than Give and dont be adamant to take…

But then, myself, majorly, my criterion to comment on posts was.. Time…and then, if I actually have a say on it..I mean, smthing to say…I dont agree to the idea of commenting just for the sake of commenting or letting the other person know, “Hey, I came to ur blog, now come to mine”…

I stopped that long back. Now amidst my busy schedule, if i get the time and heart and mood to pen down smthing I do it and expect none to read it…If smbdy reads and share their views, happy…If not, still fine…

I have few of the blogs which I like to read add on to my favourites list in my desktop. Whenever I get time I read them and if I feel, theres smthing I have to say on it, then I comment. Unfortunately, I lack free time now, when I can relax and read and comment…and if at all I cud, then the system smtime acts wierd and restricts me from commenting…I have missed commenting on many posts where I really wanted to say smthing… 😦

Whoa 206 comments! 🙂 Now that’s something! 🙂 I would have loved to read the comments too, I usually do, but am in a rush right now. I completely agree with points 1 and 2 Bikram, about #3, I don’t think I ever noticed, I will have to keep an eye out 🙂 At #1, I can honestly admit I am one of those whose posts have always had encouraging comments from you, but I have not been able to come over to your blog much (call me lazy, lethargic, busy whatever, they would be excuses) but I also do know that sometimes I have read posts (your’s and others’) while on the move and wanted to comment, but let’s just say my phone’s not the most convenient one to type long messages from! 🙂 During such times, the vote button of IB helps me. I personally believe its a way to show that I liked your post but sorry couldn’t comment this time! Though yes, I have known people who work the ‘scratch my back and I’ll scratch your’s’ way too! Sometimes, people do vote without reading the entire post. In my opinion, commenting and leaving feedback is always more heartfelt and nicer than IB voting, but to each his own! 🙂

and dont worry about not visiting here more , I can understand all are busy and all and I never hold this against anyone , whenever you get time 🙂 so relax…

I dont mind people pressing the vote button provided they read nad only then vote, just for the sake of it is not the right thing, I mean I dont bother about the votes as such because of the bad reputation they have , as such its is hard to see which are genuine and which not .. sometimes I get a vote within seconds of publishing No I am a fast reader , even I cant read a post in seconds rather milliseconds ..

oh yes I always feel commenting is good at least you know someone has read the post 🙂 and oh yes to each his own 🙂